Following the release of their fourth album Sex & Food (April 6th via Jagjaguwar), Unknown Mortal Orchestra has kicked off their spring tour with stops in the northeast, including back-to-back nights at Brooklyn Steel.
Outfitted with all-white furniture, fur rugs, a retro chair, and a record player, the stage was set up as an invitation to frontman Ruban Nielson’s living room, presumably. Much like the loungey decorations, the Wednesday night show felt more like a night-in jam with friends than a concert.
At first, the energy of the night was subdued. The band opened with the classics “Ffunny Ffriends” and “Swim and Sleep (Like a Shark).” Towards the middle, the set took a turn for the heavier material with “Nerve Damage!” followed by the “A God Called Hubris” and ”Major League Chemicals” combo, which then dove straight into “American Guilt.”
Notably, Nielson climbed over the barricade, said loosely into the mic “phones are okay,” then proceeded to sing “Not in Love We’re Just High” from the crowd. Once back on stage and onto the next song, he crooned the words “multi love” and let the crowd softly carry the first verse of the song.
The five-song encore rounded out the night in dance. In the audience, pockets of friend groups choreographed moves and reveled in pairs. The night ended with the funky “Can’t Keep Checking My Phone.”
All photos and written word by Alexandra Howard. Check out more photos from the show below:
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Upcoming UMO Tour Dates:
April 28 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer w/ Makeness
April 30 – Boston, MA @ Royale w/ Makeness
May 1 – Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre w/ Makeness
May 2 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall w/ Makeness
May 3 – Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre w/ Makeness
May 4 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue w/ Makeness
May 7 – Seattle, WA @ The Moore Theatre w/ Makeness
May 8 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom w/ Makeness
May 9 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater w/ Makeness
May 10 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater w/ Makeness
May 11 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern w/ Makeness
May 12 – Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy and Harriet’s w/ Makeness
May 18 – Hamburg, Germany @ Uebel & Gefährlich w/ Makeness
May 19 – Berlin, Germany @ Kesselhaus w/ Makeness
May 20 – Heidelberg, Germany @ Karlstorbahnhof w/ Makeness
May 21 – Düsseldorf, Germany @ zakk w/ Makeness
May 22 – Paris, France @ La Gaîté Lyrique w/ Makeness
May 24 – London, United Kingdom @ Roundhouse w/ Makeness
May 25 – Bristol, United Kingdom @ SWX w/ Makeness
May 26 – Manchester, United Kingdom @ Strange Waves
May 27 – Leeds, United Kingdom @ World Island
May 28 – Brussels, Belgium @ Ancienne Belgique w/ Makeness
May 30 – Bordeaux, France @ Rock School Barbey
May 31 – Barcelona, Spain @ Primavera Sound
June 3 – Nantes, France @ Indigènes Festival
June 4 – Dublin, Ireland @ Forbidden Fruit Festival
June 8 – Porto, Portugal @ NOS Primavera Sound
June 10 – Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands @ Best Kept Secret Festival
July 6 – Richmond, VA @ The National w/ Shamir
July 7 – Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel w/ Shamir
July 8 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse w/ Shamir
July 9 – Athens, GA @ Georgia Theatre w/ Shamir
July 11 – New Orleans, LA @ Republic w/ Shamir
July 12 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall w/ Shamir
July 13 – Austin, TX @ Stubbs BBQ w/ Shamir
July 14 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater w/ Shamir
July 16 – Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre w/ Shamir
July 17 – Ogden, UT @ Ogden Amphitheatre w/ Sylvan Esso, Shamir
July 18 – Las Vegas, NV @ Vinyl at Hard Rock w/ Shamir
July 19 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom w/ Shamir
July 21 – Los Angeles, CA @ FYF Fest
July 23 – Missoula, MT @ The Top Hat
July 24 – Billings, MT @ The Pub Station
July 26 – Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre
Aug 9 – Budapest, Hungary @ Sziget Festival
August 10 – Basel, Switzerland @ Open Air Basel
August 11 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Haven
September 5 – Christchurch, New Zealand @ The Foundry Bar
September 6 – Dunedin, New Zealand @ Glenroy Auditorium
September 7 – Wellington, New Zealand @ Hunter Lounge
September 8 – Auckland, New Zealand @ Auckland Town Hall
September 12 – Melbourne, Australia @ Forum Theatre
September 14 – Adelaide, Australia @ Fat Controller
September 15 – South Brisbane, Australia @ Brisbane Festival
September 16 – Newtown, Australia @ Enmore Theatre
September 18 – Perth, Australia @ Badlands
September 23 – Tokyo, Japan @ WWWX
November 21 – London, UK @ Royal Albert Hall
